Lab Station 01 Modernist Recipe Book
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Specimen photograph for Tamarind Chutney

Tamarind Chutney

Yield
approximately 500 g chutney

October 2, 2026 · Version 1 · Sauce

Glossy sweet-sour tamarind sauce with date, jaggery, and warm spice

Preparation

Scaling basis: Tamarind concentrate · 100 g

PHASE A — SIMMER

Ingredient Uses

Method

  1. Combine tamarind concentrate, water, dates, jaggery, cumin, ginger, chilli, and salt.
  2. Simmer gently for 20 min–25 min until the dates are soft and the mixture is lightly syrupy.
  3. Retain the recorded Jaggery or dark brown sugar option; the alternative uses the same declared quantity, in place of the first material.

Phase Outputs

Key Phase Output Description
softened-date-mixture Softened date mixture Prepared intermediate for a later Phase. Blend and strain all.

PHASE B — BLEND AND STRAIN

Ingredient Uses

Method

  1. Blend until smooth.
  2. Pass through a fine sieve, pressing firmly on the solids.
  3. Return to the heat and simmer to a pourable chutney consistency.
  4. Stir in garam masala, cool rapidly, and refrigerate.

Commercial tamarind concentrates vary sharply in strength and acidity. The chutney thickens as it cools. Stop the reduction while it is slightly looser than the target texture.

Recorded alternatives (no separate variation-specific testing observations were supplied):

  • Without dates: Omit dates, increase jaggery to 160 g, and reduce water to 300 g.
  • Sharper: Add 15 g lime juice after cooling.

Phase Outputs Used

Phase Output Use
Softened date mixture Use softened-date-mixture. Blend and strain all.

FAILURE MODES

Symptom Likely cause Corrective action
Too thick when cold excessive reduction stop slightly loose
Unbalanced acidity different concentrate strength taste against recorded formulation